If Wishes Were Horses
by MissNys
Summary: There is always a sacrifice to be made but not usually one so willing to make it. With so few options and little to hold him Xander gives up all he knows to help a friend, unknowingly falling upon some answers to a mystery he has lived with all his life.
1. Chapter 1

If Wishes Were Horses...

Summery: There is always a sacrifice to be made but not usually one so willing to make it. With so few options and little to hold him Xander gives up all he knows to help a friend, unknowingly stumbling upon some answers to a mystery he has lived with all his life.

Pairings: (These are tentative groupings and are open to changes. If you have a preference or suggestions, feel free to comment.) Xander/Gambit. Andrew/Warren(Archangel). Logan/Oz. Spike/Kurt. Faith/? I would welcome any thoughts for her partner.

**... I'd be buried in shite:**

It had taken a week for the hunters to find him in the desert plains of Africa. Three of them had almost died for their trouble. The fact that they hadn't gained the respect of their target and the chance to be heard. The man sighed lightly as he listened to the fast paced ramblings of the four young hunters. When they tapered off into embarrassed silences he stood without a sound and quickly packed the essentials. The rest of the camp he left alone, the fire still burning, telling the boys to rest for the night.

"What about you?" the youngest asked.

"They call so I go." was his reply as he faded into the black of the night. When the four boys returned to their respective clans they would brag about how they had shared the camp of such a renowned hunter. Though he was a white man, the Protector of Man had become something of a legend in the plains. The man himself, however, had no clue as to his reputation. As such while he was boarding his flight to civilized England, he was unaware of the many villages mourning the loss of Xander Harris.

He stared at the building for a long time. There was nothing too special about said building, on the outside at least. Inside, there was a bunch of little girls beating the stuffing out of their guardians while gossiping about boys, cloths and other girly topics. Even from his position on the sidewalk, he could faintly hear the squealing giggles of the younger females. The whole feel of the place, rather, the entire isle, was so different from the natural silence of the Plains that he had grown used to. Xander felt more than a little stifled.

With a quiet huff Xander shouldered his bag and resigned himself. His girls had called, so he had come, not even taking the time to clean himself up, much to the mortification of the other passengers of his plane ride. He was wearing his only pair of jeans, the rest replaced but hunting leathers, it was soft and faded to a more white than blue shade of denim, but allowed easy movements while clinging to him like a second skin. The only type of shirt he had left to him was a soft brown leather vest decorated with beads bones and stones, placed in symbolic patterns by a tribal shaman a few years back. He had a matching strip covering eye as his eye patch had broken due to wear and tear years ago. He spared a glance to the tribal tattoos etched into the skin of his arms, clearly on display, and wondered what the girls were going to say. Not that it really mattered. The protections weaved into the patterns guaranteed that he could never remove them. Not to mention that it would insult every tribe each symbol represented to the point where they would kill him on sight.

Heaving a final sigh, Xander ignored the little boy just down the street that was gaping at him, the forgotten cone of ice cream in his hand dripping onto the concrete. He pushed open heavy metal door, which he was happy to see was laced with iron and silver, of the New Watchers Council and made a b-line to the elevators in the back of the lobby.

"Excuse me!" an indignant voice cut through the sounds of happy females and his soft footfalls, stopping his advance. He focused a questioning eye on the prim woman now standing behind the secretarial desk. "Where, may I ask, are you going?"

Her accent was the stiff, upper class British that her two piece skirt suit portrayed her to be. She didn't have the feel of a slayer so she was probably training to be a watcher. To keep from having a Giles-lecture-backlash when the woman complained, Xander decided to play nice.

"Upstairs." Okay, perhaps not terribly nice.

"Only qualified personnel and those with appointments may go past this are. As you are not listed on the schedule, I am going to have to ask you to leave." It was like the stick that had taken up residence in her backside was climbing up further as she spoke. He knew it had been a couple of years since he had shown his face but had it really been so long that he was unrecognizable? He thought the eye-patch for sure would give him away.

"So you don't know me?" He asked, just to be sure.

"I most certainly do not! No woman here would associate with such a ruffian." She spat in disgust. Xander couldn't help it. For the first time in months he laughed. Out loud and unrestrained until his face hurt. The twitch in her left eye as she glared at him made him laugh harder.

"Call Willow," he wheezed between chuckles, "she will tell you who I am."

"I will do no such thing. She is dealing with a very dangerous situation. I will not disturb her for one such as you. No, I must ask you to leave."

He sobered slightly. "Call Willow, or Buffy, or Dawn, or Giles. Whoever."

She scoffed indelicately, "Just knowing their names will not gain my acquiescence. Leave now or I will be forced to call security."

His eye narrowed. "That's fine. Not leaving."

Her scowl was unattractive as she snatched up the phone. "This is Claire." she snapped into the line. "I have a man here who refuses to vacate the building. I need an escort to show him the door." There was silence for a moment then a twisted smile crossed her face. "That will be perfect, thank you."

Claire hung up the phone and gave him a smug expression. He stared back blandly and waited. The total reaction time disappointed him, being a full thirty seconds from call end to the side doors swinging open, and he would have to bring it up to Giles later. The two Slayers, however, made him smirk when he saw who they were.

"How did you get demoted to grunt, Faith? Is Robin grounding you or something?" His voice drew them up short.

"Boy Toy?" the second oldest Slayer whispered.

"Been a while." he grinned at the incomprehension on Claire's face. Faith, however, crowed and rushed him. He barely caught her as she wrapped herself around him and planted a big, sloppy kiss on his mouth. He was proud that he only staggered a few steps. He broke the kiss eventually, when the need for air became desperate. Faith, though, did not unlatch herself, only shifted to tuck her head under his chin.

He adjusted his grip and grinned at the dark-skinned slayer leering at them.

"I see you buffed up some, Chubs."

"I see you haven't lost your blinding charm, Rona." he shot back.

She smile, "Good to see you again. The Red Witch is out of options. I guess she though you might be able to see more."

He nodded, careful not to dislodge Faith, which brought up another question. "Any reason why you turned into Slayer Koala, Faith?"

She tensed slightly but relaxed again when he tightened his grip on her thighs. The two Slayers were impressed that he was bearing all her weight so easily. "Robin cheated then dumped me for her. He said he couldn't handle how uncontrollable I was." Her whispered admission visibly shocked Rona, which prompted Xander to give her a look.

"She's been off for weeks and no one had a clue why. Now you just waltz in and she spills." she glared playfully, Xander just shrugged.

"It's a gift. As for you, Missy," he jostled Faith lightly, "where is this wayward adulterer?"

"Dunno, up and left." she mumbled into his clavicle and he mused on his life's position as a human comfort pillow.

"Well that wont be lasting long." he muttered darkly, "What do you say we find out what Wills needs from me then we raid the ice cream and plan Robins punishment."

She let her legs slid off his hips but clung to his neck, "Sounds like a plan Boy Toy."

He smirked, stooped and hoisted her into his arms, bridal style. His smile grew when she didn't resist, as he wasn't going to let her got until he had to. He resumed his earlier walk to the elevators, only for the same voice to stop him again.

"Just a moment!"her cultured tones had turned shrill, making him cringe. "I called you down here to remove this ruffian, not molest him."

"Remove?" Rona blinked. "Why would we do that? Buffy and willow are the ones that sent for him." Xander relished seeing the woman gape like a fish just a little too much.

"Why would they need someone like _him_?" now it was the Slayers turn to gape. Both mystically enhanced women looked to Xander for an answer.

"She doesn't know who I am." He shrugged. "Never asked for my name. Bad form far a secretary." the girls snickered as Claire's face went red. Rona decided to fill her in on the facts she was sorely missing.

"Girl, you just insulted Xander Harris. One of the original Scoobies. He is the guy most Slayers fight to have as their Watcher." the red face was quickly palling to grey and he really didn't think that was healthy.

Bored with torturing the new girl, Xander decided to move on. "Whatever Ro, there are plenty of better watchers here. I really don't have the know-how to teach you girls everything you need to know." Rona and Faith looked ready to interrupt but he ploughed on. "Anyways, I have a stressed out witch and a cranky slayer waiting on me for some reason. I suggest we kick on."

That shut them up and Rona even led the way. The left an embarrassed and mortified Claire hiding behind her desk.

In the elevator, Xander finally asked what was bothering him. "So... do either of you know why I am here?"

"They didn't tell you? Why did you get back so fast?" Faith kicked her feet slightly as she stared at him in question.

"You know the drill, they call, or in this case hunt me down, and I run home. If they have to come to me for a problem it is usually something can't, or don't know how, to handle."

"So you just uproot your life on their whims?" Rona asked dubiously. He gave her his best smile.

"Not even. You girls are my life. Everything else is just hobbies." The door pinged, drawing his attention, so he missed the small blush blooming on the two slayers faces. It was only when he reached the doors leading to the council library that he realized that he never got his answer. Rona pushed the doors open for him so he could maneuver without putting Faith down. Seeing his two best friends and Dawn sitting at the table, buried in books, while Giles rummaged through the stacks, Xander was hit with a nostalgia so deep he almost had a flashback. Fighting back the pain, and the sudden need to go buy doughnuts, he fixed a smile on his face.

"Awaken and rejoice fair ladies, and man, for Xan-man the Great graces you with his exalted presence." his voice boomed into the silence of the library in his most pompous tone. He would have bowed flamboyantly if not for the cushy burden in his arms. The three female faces lighting up with smiles was enough to make up for it.

"The title, I believe, is supposed to be Alexander the Great." Giles said in amused exasperation. "It loses something in translation otherwise." Xander frowned slightly. Giles glasses were still on the man's face. That wouldn't do.

"That old blow hard? So he conquered a few countries. He's got nothing on my witty repartee and hugging capacity." Ah, there goes the glasses, and sigh #3; Long-suffering-but-amused. Bonus!

"Speaking of hugging," Buffy cut in with a smirk. "What's with Princess Faith?" Said girl scowled but snuggled in further.

"She swooned at the sight of my ruggedly handsome face, so I decided to do the gentlemanly thing and carry her up. She's very fragile you know." Buffy snorted and Faith smacked his arm lightly, leaving a bruise. Xander grinned unrepentantly. Dawn, however, huffed and stomped up to them.

"That's not fair. I want Xander hugs too."

"Tough luck little D." Faith mocked, "Boy Toy's only got two arms and both are occupied."

"Ladies, please," Xander headed of the impending fight, that might very well involve biting and hair pulling, quickly, "there is enough Xander to go around. Allow me a moment to adjust."

With a yelp, Faith was hoisted up until she was seated on the crook of his elbow, bracing herself on his shoulder. With a casual motion, once he was sure of Faith's balance, he scooped Dawn up into the same position in his other arm. He put on his best innocent face, "Better?"

"Good lord!" Giles breathed.

"Damn, Xander. You went and got all He-Man on us." Rona approved.

"Goddess, are you magically augmented?" willow abandoned her books to come check him over. "Oh my, tattoos even. What were you thinking?"

"Could it be another possession?" Buffy asked casually but he could see the worry in her eyes.

"I'm not possessed or on magical steroids. This is human strength. I have been living in the wilds of Africa for three years, remember? And when I say wilds I mean the _wilds, _a place where there is no town or village for days in any direction. If I can carry a full grown male antelope over my shoulders, while it is still alive, for four days, I can lift two girls easy."

"Why did you have to carry a _live_ antelope?" Dawn asked.

"There was this ritual and they had to have a live sacrifice. I thought an antelope was better than a kid so I hunted and captured one. The protections will last them about fifty years." he let the girls down gently and traced the oldest swirling pattern o his left bicep. "The chose sacrifice was the Shaman's son, so they gave me this in thanks. Every tattoo is from one tribe or another after I did them some kind of favour, and only a few are from magical tribes. So before you try, no Wills, I can't get rid of them without insulting over half the population of Africa."

Her stern look deflated but both her and Buffy came forward for hugs. It was a good thing the couldn't see the pattern on his back or they might really force him to remove them.

"Not that I mind feeling the love, but what's the problem you need me for?" he let them go reluctantly.

"It's Andrew." Willow answered.

"What's the geek done now?" he asked fondly. His smile slipped when the lot of them exchanged worried glances.

"It started a few weeks ago." Buffy began, "He would zone out in the middle of something and small things would start to change around him. Like this one time the chair I was sitting on turned into a cotton ball. A giant, chair shaped cotton ball. Then everything stopped. We figured it was his magic going wonky b-but then his eyes started bleeding and he...he kept calling out for you... so Willow..." She trailed off and looked helplessly to the witch in question.

The red head picked up the line of conversation, "I put his in a stasis. Keeping him alive but in a- a permanent sleep until we could get you here." she pointed a pale hand to the small body laying on the far couch. The still figure was disturbing to see and Xander had to wonder why they were keeping him in the room. He wondered if Willow had to be close to keep up the spell.

"There was no other solution?"

Dawn shook her head. "We've been looking but it is not magic based. Whatever is happening is apart of him and we think that he was trying to hold it back. That is what was hurting him. What we don't know is why he was calling for you, do you?"

"Not a clue." he whispered breaking away from his girls, "Let's find out, shall we? Wake him up Wills."

She nodded with a sigh of relief as her power finally flowed back into her. Andrew's reactions were sudden and immediate. He shot up in a clear panic, clutching at his head. Wild blue eyes popped open and searched the room frantically, seeing and dismissing each of them in an instant until they settled on the tanned American.

"Xander." his surprisingly hoarse voice breathed out. Said man thought it must be a side effect of the spell.

"Hey buddy, I head you asked for- umph!" he stumbled slightly when the little blonde torpedo ploughed into him. What was with him getting jumped today? He wrapped a supporting arm around the trembling shoulders and led the distraught boy-man back to the couch.

"I'm sorry, so sorry. I tried to hold it back but things kept changing and there was blood and my brain was exploding so I called you because this has to be Anya's revenge and I wanted to say I was sorry before I died but I'm so scared and I'm sorry. So, so, so, so sorry." Andrew babbled on even as the older male gathered him onto his lap. He was a little surprised at the difference in their sizes, but considering the deviation in their living situations these bast years, he shouldn't be so surprised.

He made himself focus on what was more important, "Shh, Andy. It's alright. You're okay. I need you to calm down, Andy. Just breath deep, now." He pitched his voice soft and smooth, rubbing slow circles low on the smaller man's back. The babble tapered off as Andrew got himself under control. "Good boy, that's it. Deep breaths. When you feel ready, I need you to tell me what you sense every time something changes around you. If you can anticipate it than we can help."

Andrew to another deep, shuddering breath. "It-it's like rushing water or a river or something. It f-flows into the object and ch-changes it into what I'm thinking about. I tried to but up a wall but it cracks and it's leaking every where." Xander nodded, he had noticed that his vest had shifted from leather to silk to cotton and was now back to leather again.

"If it is like water then a solid dam is bound to burst. Make your wall out of something strong but flexible. Let it move with your power while holding it." Andrew's eyes were cinched shut as he tried to follow his instructions. The un-tensing of most of his muscles told Xander that it had worked, somewhat. "That's it, good. Now I want you too envision a deep pit right up against that wall. Make it so deep that you cant see the bottom. Do you see it?" a small nod against his chest. "Good. Now make a hole in you wall, a small one, just above the pit. Let the power pour in like a water fall, let it fill until the amount behind the wall is the same as in the pool. Do you feel it? That balance? Hold onto that feeling. When you use your power, take from the pool. When you feel that pressure grow again, regain that balance. If it increases past that, make the pool a little bigger until you recover yourself. Feel better?"

Andrew sprawling, boneless, in his arms gave him his answer. He knew this was only a temporary fix and they would need help to teach him full control. Obviously no one here could do it but he knew who could point him in the right direction.

"Way to go Xander." Buffy congratulated, happy for the latest crisis averted. He shook his head sadly.

"It is not over yet Buff." he took a deep breath. "I, Alexander Lavelle Harris, do summon the Demon Lord D'Hoffryn as the sole heir of the last will of Anyanka, Patron Saint of Scorned Women, to call in the debts owed her." His voice rang through the shocked silence. The stale smell of sulphur told of his success.

"Finally!" The horned demon burst out. "Do you know how embarrassing it is to be in the dept of a human.? Be more selfish boy! Call in her markers faster. Now, what can I do for you today?" His sweet tone was marred by the shark grin that showed far too many teeth.

"Do you know of a place where Andrew can get help? Training?"

The Demon Lord scowled. "You and your selflessness. Yes I know of a world. There are plenty of others like him with different powers. I can't just send him though, your markers have to impact you personally. You can't just use them all willy-nilly for other people."

"Don't worry. I'm not leaving him alone." D'Hoffryn's face lit up like fluorescent light.

"Let's talk numbers then. Eight markers."

Xander snorted. "Not even. Two."

"Robbery! Six, at least."

"I know what it took to get these markers. Two."

"Damn that girl and her pillow talk. Five."

"That was tame compared to pillow talk. Still Two."

"Four. It's a bargain!"

Xander seemed to think about it, ignoring the swivelling heads of his friends, "Three and a vengeance wish. That is as far as I'll go."

"Deal," he beamed, knowing that the demon had gotten the better of the deal, "now who is the lucky victim?"

"The wish is pending, for Faith against Robin in tribute to Ahn. When she knows what she wants then it takes affect, though I do have a suggestion."

"Let's hear it." D'Hoffryn waved impatiently.

"This is a guy who complained she was uncontrollable. I say make his body rebel. Reverse his reactions in certain areas. When he is excited or turned on, leave him as limp as a noodle. When he is trying to be intimidating or serious, have him raging like a preteen with their first porno mag."

"Vicious and horribly mortifying. I like it. You know there are a few positions open in my realm if you are ever looking for a job." Xander's bland look mad the demon sigh. "Ah, well. The punishment suit you slayer?" He turned on Faith who, like the others, was more than a little lost.

"Uh, Sure?"

"Done. Black Boy Wonder now has more hormone problems than a bus full of choir boys in a gay strip joint."

Xander nodded his thanks and focused on his girls. "Sorry Faith. It looks like I'm gonna have to cancel the ice cream binge."

"But why?" she whispered, unsure of what was happening.

"You know the drill. Can't really leave the dweeb alone in this, now can I? Look, I doubt I have long-" and annoyed huff from the Lord verified the statement, "so know that I love all of you and remember to take care of each other. G-man keep my girls alive." the older man nodded solemnly, resting firm hands on the thin shoulders of Buffy and Willow.

"You sure about this?" His blonde best friend asked quietly.

"Did you know you were?" he glanced significantly at Dawn. Buffy sighed and hugged her crying sister.

"I'll get you back." Willow swore. "I will find you and bring you home."

"Not a chance sweetheart." D'Hoffryn burst her bubble. "Dimensional transference is a dangerous business. To let the kid go along with him is going to cost the brat. His ties to this world will be severed and reformed there. Spiritually he will belong to that world. You may bring him back but he will never be comfortable here, never fit like he once did."

The life in her eyes was snuffed out like a flame. Hating it Xander did what he always did for his girls, gave them hope. "Don't forget Wills, I may have a different home but I still want to see you all again. Find a way to let us visit each other."

The red-head had joined in the crying but he could see that beloved spark returning as he gigantic brain tackled the issue and he smiled.

"Now that the sappy crap is over," D'Hoffryn decided to cut off any more interruptions, "time for you to go. This will hurt quite a bit."

The shark smile was back and when Xander heard those bony fingers snap his reality dissolved into two all encompassing feelings. Soul cutting agony and a biting cold.

Scott! the sudden mental call startled the team leader. The papers in his hands spilling to the floor.

Professor?

Gather the X-Men. An Omega level mutant just manifested a short distance from here. Scott was already moving, others joining him as he passed.

Intel?

Two minds, both in pain. Due to the power level, I can not decipher which on is the Omega class. They do not, however, seem hostile. Approach openly but with care.

Understood.

Hank is already waiting in the jet.

A/N: That is chapter one for you lot. Hope you enjoy and I am still working on my other stories so do not panic... or lynch me, as the case may be. Like I said before , I have a lot of stories to get typed in various stages of completion so updates with usually come as inspiration hits me. I hope this story is as well received as the others.


	2. Chapter 2

**If Wishes Were Horses...**

Summery: There is always a sacrifice to be made but not usually one so willing to make it. With so few options and little to hold him Xander gives up all he knows to help a friend, unknowingly stumbling upon some answers to a mystery he has lived with all his life.

Pairings: (These are tentative groupings and are open to changes. If you have a preference or suggestions, feel free to comment.) Xander/Gambit. Andrew/Warren(Archangel). Logan/Oz. Spike/Kurt. Faith/? I would welcome any thoughts for her partner.

**Chapter 2:**

It was like someone had just lit a flare in his face. His eye was burning and the world had gone white until flecks of black started flashing crossing his line of vision. It took a few moments to realized that they were birds flying across a cloudy sky. A shift and a groan, that didn't come from him, alerted Xander to the fact that Andrew was laying partially on top of him. He sat up carefully, ignoring the sharp throb in his chest, and took in his surroundings. It was like they had fallen into a winter wonderland, the trees and ground covered with the deceptively heavy white fluff. Unsure of why he was barely feeling the cold he glanced down at their bodies and realized that D'Hoffryn had more heart than he was willing to admit. Andrew's simple outfit of jeans and a t-shirt had been complimented with fake-fur lined boots that came up to his shins, and a thick corduroy jacket. Xander had been given a well worn biker jacket that the American had to admit looked super cool.

He was forced out of his coat appreciation by the pained whimper of his companion. That was when he noticed that the once pretty scenery was rapidly shifting into a grotesque parody. Calmly, he grabbed Andrew's face between his hands, forcing his attention.

"Andrew, look at me. I need you to look at me and only me." he kept his tone firm, giving the boy-man little choice but to obey.

"It hurts." his shaky voice whispered, "It's stronger here."

"I know buddy, I know. I'm gonna help you. You just have to look at me, look at my eye. My eye and nothing else." Andrew did so with a little difficulty, "That's it. I need you to trust me now. M'not gonna let anything happen to you, understand? Something broke when we crossed over and I have to fix it. You trust me to fix it?"

"Y-you always f-f-fix things." glassy blue eyes never wavered from his single brown one.

"Good man." Following instincts he had had since childhood, Xander dove into the writhing mass that was Andrew's power. His consciousness swam through the eddying power until he reached the strings that attached to Andrew's core. Some strings were stretched to their limits, others broken. He let his talent take him over like he had when he had saved Buffy in the master's lair and Willow on Hangman's Bluff. The light that was always within him filled the gaps between the broken strings and reinforced the others. Only when they were all securely affixed to the core again did Xander take a metaphysical step back. He surveyed his work and realized that Andrew was right. They were stronger in this world, which meant he and Andy were more alike than he had imagined. Not even his efforts on Darth Willow had been to this scale. Instead of smoothing the natural flow he was actually manipulating the energy to fix the problem. Knowing that nothing like this ever came without a price, he wondered what the drawbacks would be. Gently, he pulled out again, flowing back into his own body once again, blinking twice to gain his bearings and focus on the awed baby blues beneath him.

"Hey man. I fixed it just like I promised." he felt it creeping up on him. The backlash. Apparently he was getting an echo of the Pain. "Don't tell anyone, Okay? This is just between us for now, right?"

"Xander?" Andrew's voice was uncertain.

"Do me a favour?" He raised his arms, displaying the leather clad oddities "Change my arms back, would you? I like working with wood and all but..."

His joke fell flat as a wave of pain crashed into his as he felt nonexistent strings snap deep within him and rebuild with flair of agony. He tried to bite back the tortured moan as all the pain Andrew would have felt was forced onto him. His focus shifted from the horrified face of his friend, now kneeling in front of him, to the sounds of booted feet hitting snow-turned-steel.

"Holy shit!" a young voice came from the human shaped being of ice.

"Hey folks." Xander greeted, fully aware that his words came out slurred, "Andy'll be right wit'cha in a minute after he fixes my lil' problem. 'M gonna pass out fo' a sec s'take care o' him. If you don't," even with his growing delirium, Xander made his voice as hard and focused as he could, startling more than a few, "neither heaven nor hell will accept you when I'm through with you."

With one last glare to the bewildered group, Xander let the pain take him.

"Xander?Xander?" Andrew called out again and again as the larger man's eye rolled to the back of his head and he finally collapsed onto the changed snow. Andy whirled panicked blue eyes on to the group surrounding them and started mumbling to himself. "Eye thing wont work. Girls are no. Ice person, not even. You!" he shouted, pointing at the gruff but normal looking man. "You have a power? What is it?"

"I heal." he answered lightly dazed. The pale face lit up.

"Perfect." Andy hopped to his feet and dashed over to grab the man's hand, diving into the pool Xander had helped him make as he studied the structure of the older male's genetic code. He ignored the questions from the strangers as he marvelled at how much easier it was to control. He had to remind himself that now was not the time for that sort of thing. Dropping the man's hand he scurried back to Xander, nearly tripping on his feet, to push back the leather sleeves to reveal the wood that had once been human flesh.

Carefully, he focused on the makeup of the arms and nearly cried. Everything up to the bones had been changed into ceder wood and it extended from his fingers to his elbows. Thankfully, the man he had studied was normal in everything but the bones and he didn't think Xander would appreciate metal bones. Starting on the muscles attached to the bones, he used Xander's and the stranger's genetic code as a template to reform them correctly, going so far as to tweak the his friends marrow to help with blood production. The healing abilities he was copying should be able to reverse any damages that had occurred during the time of mutation. If Xander managed to keep the ability then so much the better.

"What are you doing kid?" the sudden and gruff voice almost toppled his concentration. "You do all this?"

Andrew only spared him partial attention, "Got hurt, in my head. Lost control and started changing everything. Xander brought me back. Got his arms turned to wood for his trouble. Your normal, except for the bones, so I'm using your genetic code as a map to rebuild his arms."

"Good lord." the familiar expression almost made him lose the battle with his split focus but the lack of a British accent made him decide to investigate later.

"What's up, Doc?" Andrew tried really really hard not to laugh at the phrase. 'Doc', though, ignored the gruff man.

"Why use Mr. Logan's genetic code? Why not use the others?"

Andrew huffed impatiently as he moved onto the sinews and tendons. "Your powers are in your genetics. Girls wont work cause he's a guy. Ice guy is H²O crystallized in human form. Xan already has eye problems. Growly man was best. Most normal. The healing should fix the problems."

"Problems?"

"His bones didn't change so they still produced blood, feeding resistant wood that his muscles and capillaries had turned into. So I changed his marrow to produce the blood with the same healing ability as Growly man.

Logan growled that the nickname, causing Ice-man to snicker.

"You matched his code to Logan's"

"Nu-uh. Isolated and integrated the marker for healing and matched it to Xander's code, giving him the ability. Temporarily, I think."

"Do you realize the implications of this, child?" the whispered reprove made Andrew snort.

"Yeah," his gaze flickered to Growly man- Logan, flashing him a grin. "Congrats. It's a Boy." he would have savoured the slack jawed response if his patience had not run out by this point. "You done now? Cause my friend is hurting and I'm remaking his arms cell by cell and it takes allot of concentration that you guys are disrupting." the embarrassed silence that followed allowed Andrew to reach the dermis layer.

Sweat began to appear on his forehead as the overwhelming flow that he had been fighting for days started to fluctuate. With his inner balance fixed, the power was wavering, trying to adjust. He had to actively call out the power one moment and the next, hold back a tide that might kill Xander. He was rushed but he could not slack off. One wrong move and Xander's body would reject his own limbs. He vowed to himself that he would not fail because just this once he wanted to be the one to save Xander, not the other way around.

Reaching the epidermis, Andy never noticed that his breath was coming in short, thin gasps. The strangers were watching him with worry but dared not intrude. After what seemed like forever, Xander's arms were human again. He was shaking like a leaf in a gale storm when he dropped the hands but a proud smile spread across his face.

"I did it!" he exclaimed happily to Logan just before he collapsed in his arms.

"So..." Bobby tentatively broke the on going silence. "What just happened?"

"We have, in essence, found the mutant we were looking for." Hank provided, surreptitiously checking over the two unconscious males. "The blonde young man, Andrew I believe his friend named him, seems to be the Omega grade mutant we were told about. I assume that it was his loss of control that gave us our rather... unique surroundings." he waved a furred hand a the metallic forest.

"And the other boy?" Storm questioned. "He did say that this 'Xander' calmed down his outburst."

"Likely he just snapped him out of his panic, grounding him." Scott dismissed her question. "The professor didn't say anything about a second mutant. Let's just get them both on the jet and back to the mansion. When they wake up we can ask them ourselves." More than one person frowned at their leaders casual dismissal but they move like the cohesive unit they were and went with the new plan. Logan hefted Andrew while Hank gently lifted Xander and his luggage, while taking in the various scars he could see with growing worry. Bobby stared at the unconscious brunette for a long moment as they walked before voicing the question that he had been holding in for a while.

"Who name's their kid 'Xander'?"

Alexander Harris woke in his usual, non threatened, way. His threatened way was instantaneous, on his feet with a weapon in his hand before he even opened his eye. His non-threatened way was a gradual catalogue of his body and it's natural functions. Like a rolling twitch, he tensed and relaxed his muscles from his toes to the balls of his feet, to the heel to the calf then thighs and onwards. All confirming reactions told him he still had all his limbs and they were in working order, though he did find a few aches in his arms and back. Next on the roster was his senses which were easier but took just a little longer. He felt the softness of the sheets covering him and under his hands so his sense of touch was fine. The taste in his mouth told him he really needed to brush, morning breath was something he had learned to ignored in Africa but he would really rather not. The beeping and soft hum of machines told him that he was in an urban area while the multitude of soft footsteps said it was well populated. A subtle intake of breath filled his nose with the smell of antiseptic and metal and he knew he was in a hospital or infirmary of some sort, only there was no scent of sickness or death. The soft red haze on half of his vision proved that he could still see and that wherever he had found himself was well lit. In the seconds it took hims to test and catalogue the state of his body, Xander determined that he was in a relatively safe place and his bladder was encouraging his immediate movement.

Stretching, he yawned until his jaw cracked and sat up, taking in the details of the room. Metal floors and walls backed state of the art computer equipment and obvious hospital based machinery. He was sitting on a hospital bed with the railing down but he was thankfully still dressed in his original clothing, sans his leather vest. The one thing he hated most about hospitals were the gowns. Xander was, however, loathed to put his bare feet on what looked to be a very chilly floor.

"Ah!" a voice startled him, "You have decided to rejoin us in the land of the conscious! Your friend woke quite some time ago."

The Californian blinked once, twice, and almost a third time at the sight that greeted him. The doctor, for the extra large lab coat gave him away, seemed to ready himself for some kind of reaction, barely holding off a small sigh.

"Huh." he shook off his mild shock and extended his hand. "Alexander Harris, most call me Xander. You always been blue?"

A little thrown, the doctor took the offered limb in his own meaty blue paw. "Hank McCoy. You may call me Hank, if you like. To answer your question, no, I have not always been blue. My appearance changed when my mutant gene activated."

"Mutant, huh?"

"Indeed, though I had an interesting conversation with your compatriot whilst trying to convince him that I am, in a sense, human."

"I'm still not totally convinced." Andrew cut in petulantly.

"Hey Andy." Xander greeted, slipping on a long sleeve shirt he had noticed folded on a nearby chair. It was tighter than he liked but his vest fit over it fine so it would do for now. "Nice work on my arms. I'd check to see if I could still play the piano, but I never could in the first place. Anyways, Doc's not a demon."

"Really? Alright." He shuffled into the room, suddenly shy. "You... you okay?"

Xander took in the fidgety, puppy-whipped stance and beckoned him forward with a sigh. Once in range, he ruffled the blonde mop of hair. "You did good Andy."

"But I-"

"Had allot of power thrust onto you suddenly." Xander cut him off. "Even with your track record you tried to hold it back for weeks. That was to protect the girls, wasn't it?" he got a nod.

"It was reacting to everything I thought of. You know that cat- well maybe you don't- but there was this cat that one of the girls had brought in. It was mean and bitey. I named it Palpatine 'cause it was evil with a capital 'E'. It got into the library and was using the books as scratching posts and I got mad. The girls were gonna blame me, I just knew it, so I was angry and I thought that if Palpi was just air then it would stop wrecking things. Then he got all grey and misty and fell through the stacks. I turned him into a ghost cat. I tried changing him back but he kept running away." He finally took a breath after at a pause in his babbling rant, the arm around his shoulders calming the smaller male. "Then-then I thought 'What would happen if I got mad at one of the girls?' or had one of those dreams you told me to never talk about and one of the girls turned into a bionic stripper or something." They didn't see it but both of Hanks eyebrows shot up at the admission. "I couldn't let that happen so I held it in but it didn't stop and everything was hurting and I thought I was going to die. No one could help so I kept calling for you cause I wanted to see you at least once so I could tell Anya how you've been, and you came." he finished in a whisper.

Xander pulled the shaking boy into a full hug, tucking Andrew's head under his chin, "Like I said, you did good. Don't worry about the cat, you probably saved his life. Now if Giles had caught it messing with the books..."

"We'd be cleaning up kitty bits for weeks." Both males shuddered.

"Better now?"

"Yeah."

"Power stable?"

"Yeah."

"Then we're good. You met the residents besides the Doc yet?

"Not really. Mr. McCoy is like a non-British blue Giles though."

"High praise."

"Excuse me," a confused Doctor cut in, "I was under the impression that until recently the young man was convince that I was some breed of demon."

"Well you look like a demon but I never said you were bad." Andrew huffed, pulling away from the hug. "Besides, Xander said you're not so you've got to be some kind of human."

"And his words carry so much sway?" a new voice cut in. The two Sunnydalers turned to see a man with odd goggles standing in the doorway.

"Well yeah." Andrew's look clearly said that the fact was obvious.

"Scott! How nice of you to stop by. Is it business or pleasure today?"

"Business, Hank. The professor wants to meet our guests. Are they fit to move?"

Hank checked one of the displays on his computers as it had updated. "Their overall health is surprisingly good, considering how we found them. You two boys are free to leave but feel welcome to visit any time. I am more than a little eager to hear more about these demons you keep speaking of."

Leaving them with a toothy smile, the furred blue man turned back to his computers while they followed the stoic man out of the infirmary. Andrew stared in awe at the building, babbling out questions faster than the man could answer them. Xander kept his silence, not too sure about the man who hadn't even introduced himself, and just admired the architecture as only an ex-foreman could. What really drew his eye, however, were the ornate double doors that they were walking towards. Thick mahogany that was intricately carved and varnished to a low shine, it was a beautiful piece of work that he would have preferred to study longer.

"Come in Scott." A kind voice filtered from behind said door before 'Scott' had a chance to knock.

"Okay, that was creepy." Andrew whispered to Xander. The room they entered wasn't packed with people, but there was enough to make the large room feel cramped. The focus, at the head of the group, was the man sitting at the desk in front of a large arched glass window. Obviously, he was the leader of the group.

"I apologize. It is a habit I have found hard to break, considering my power."

"And, um... what's your power?" Andrew asked haltingly.

"Telepathy." the reaction was immediate, the two Scoobies slammed their shields up around their minds. The Professor blinked a few times while a red haired woman staggered as if she had been slapped, 'Scott' was by her side in an instant.

"Your defences are formidable." Xander noted that the man did not see upset that he no longer had access to their thoughts, though he was suspicious of the woman's reaction.

"We have had experience with telepaths and more than enough reason to distrust them." Xander's reply got an understanding nod.

"I asked you both here to invite you, Andrew, to join our school. Here we allow children and young adults, like yourself, to learn how to control their powers in a safe environment."

"Uh, that sounds great and all..." he glanced at Xander briefly, who nodded for him to continue, "but who are you?"

That drew the telepath up short. "Oh my. How rude of me. I suppose introductions all around are in order." he came out from behind the desk, that's when the two Sunnydalers saw the wheelchair. "I am Charles Xavier, the founder of Xavier's School for Gifted Children. Most in the room are teachers here while the others are either students or affiliates. The woman to my right with the white hair is Ororo Monroe, her gift is the control over the weather based elements. The man to her right is Logan, and he has a healing factor."

"You can heal from anything?" Xander was genuinely interested, wondering if the man could even heal from a turning. He barely twitched, unlike Andrew who nearly jumped two feet in the air, when three silver blades erupted from between Logan's knuckles.

"As far as I know." the gravely voice answered. The shorted man had a distinct animalistic feel about him.

The Professor carried on. "The young man beside him is Bobby Drake. He has full control over ice to the point where he can change his own body into the element. To my left, starting with the man closest to you, is Piotre Rasputin. He can turn his body into steel. The young lady is Rouge, who has the ability to absorb thoughts, memories and powers through skin contact. The fellow leaning against the mantle is Remy Lebeau, our resident Cajun. He can charge objects with kinetic energy, making them explode. Lastly, the couple to my left are Scott and Jean Summers." Xander and Andrew exchanged a quick glance, "Scott has optic beams constantly shooting out of his eyes, hence the ruby quartz glasses, and Jean is another telepath with telekinetic abilities."

"Neat." Andrew beamed. Xander let him do the talking as he watched the Summers couple carefully. Her abilities explained her reactions earlier as she must have been attempting to read them when they put up the shields. She didn't get too far, obviously, as she would be in allot more pain if she had, but it was still an invasion of privacy that he did not appreciate. He would withhold judgement for now, at least until they proved that they would do Andy more harm than good, but he wouldn't trust them to care for him without Xander there to make sure. That decided, he refocused on his charge. "My names Andrew Wells and I can change the molecular structure of things."

"Xander Harris," he answered the questioning eyes when they swung to him. "One time carpenter and all around handy man. I fix things."

"And your powers?" Ororo ventured politely. Xander gave her an indulgent smile.

"I've never been one to have the crazy but useful powers. Though it is said that my comedic timing and witty repartee could fell nations." his grin was roguish, earning him her soft laughter.

Xavier chuckled. "Yes, Hank did mention that the mutant gene that you inherited from Logan was dormant to the point that you are what we would call a Flat-scan."

"Hold up. Inherited?" his single brown eye focused on the fierce male, who he found was watching him with equal intensity. Then he saw Andrew shift nervously. "Andy?"

The smaller male wasted no time to burst into a fast paced rambling explanation, "When I fixed your arms I didn't have any experience with human anatomy besides the time Tucker made me help with his zombie girlfriend but that wouldn't help you so I used that guy as template because I needed a viable reference only I couldn't will your arms flesh again cause it is harder than you thing and there is a lot going on in there what with the muscles and lymphatic system and other stuff and so many things could have gone wrong, then he said he had a healing thing so I decided to add that in to help fix any damages that might crop up but to do that I had to partially match your genetic code to his and it worked, though I was hoping it would stay because you get hurt allot, usually saving one of the girls or a town or something but it turned dormant after it finished adapting your arms because the biggest problem was your body rejecting the limbs because they weren't exactly the same and I never ever ever want to do something like that again!" he sucked in a deep breath, signalling he was finished, and Xander just waited for him to stop panting. He had to admit that the kid was almost on par with one of Willow's babbles, though he still had a ways to go.

"I'm not like, his clone or anything, am I?"

"No! No, just a partial similarity like a relative. Since her was the basis it's kind of like-"

"A parent." Xander relaxed, all the dangerous hostility he had been unconsciously directing towards Logan vanished abruptly. He gave the man a once over, "Well your not drunk so your already miles above my other parents, Pops." the man growled at the nickname.

"Due to the nature of the school, "Xavier cut in before Logan could start a fight, and after he recovered from his first introduction to Scoobie-Speak, " it is rare that we have non-mutants staying here. You are welcome for however long you wish."

"As long as the twerp wants me around, I'll stay. "He ruffled the blonde hair and made him blush. "How much for room and board?"

"No need to pay, Mr. Harris."

"Nu-uh. If I'm gonna be eating your food and taking up space that some other kid could be getting then I'm going to pay for it. Like you said, I'm not one of your people and I am not going to be a charity case. I don't have a job but I can work around this place, fix what's broken."

"He can teach." Andrew decided to be helpful.

"I can what? I can't help with kids powers, remember? What I did for you was just a stopgap method till we could get you real help."

Andrew ignored him, "This is a school, right? You teach normal stuff too?" Xavier nodded, amused and curious as to where this was going. "He can teach languages then, or shop class, or self defence, or surviving in the wild, or-" Xander's hand slapped over his mouth, silencing him.

"They get the point, Andy." Questioning blue eyes of the professor focused on Xander again. He sighed. "I've been learning different languages since I was fifteen so I know allot but I am self taught, not certified to teach anyone. Self Defence isn't really what I do. Again, I am self taught so I fight dirty, which is what is usually needed to survive." more than one eyebrow rose in the crowd. "Survival is what I do. I was called back from Africa to help Andy but I have done a stint in Brazil and the Sahara." He noticed that Ms. Monroe had perked up at the mention of Africa.

"I am sure we can find something for you, if you insist. I however would like to hear more about these demons that Andrew spoke of." Xander could feel the scepticism from most in the room, but none from Xavier.

"That reminds me," he released the blonde, "Why did you think that Doc was a demon? You should be able to tell by now."

"Well he looks like a Pith'var demon."

"Pith'var? Are you nuts? He never would have survived past birth if he was."

"I thought they were blue." Xander pinched his nose in frustration, realizing that if he had glasses he would be cleaning them by now.

He settled himself into a lecture mode that he had copied off of Giles. "Pith'var demons are a spartan based culture when it comes to births. Yes they are all blue but it is the shade of blue that defines them. If the colour is of the fur is off, the child is torn apart and eaten by the mother to purify her body for the next birth. No exceptions. If she has a second child of off colour than the mother is shunned to the point where she takes her own life. If a male begets two of off colour, as the race is not monogamous and tends to vary their partners, then he is castrated and sent to another clan to rear the communal children. Rarely do the children know who their actual parents are. For the entire race, their fur is much darker than the Doc's and they are about a foot shorter. Distinguishing features, besides the fur, are the extra dewclaws on their hands and feet that contain a paralysing toxin and the bone ridges along their jawlines. Males have more ornate patterns of ridges than females and that is really the only way to tell which gender they are. Now do you see why the Doc can't be one?"

Andrew nodded, putting away the small notebook that he had taken out while Xander was speaking. Both returned their attention to the mutants, to find them all staring in various stages of horror or shock.

"You though the Hankmiester was some kind of monster?" the Ice man, Bobby, spat.

"Doc?" Xander laughed, "No way. Pith'var are peace loving creatures that focus on healing and preservation of the environment. I spent a two months with a nomad tribe a few years ago learning about herbal lore and how to harvest wild vegetables."

"But you said-"

"The shade of their fur indicates their mental stability. Those born with lighter fur slip into murderous rages when they reach their majority within four years. The last recorded incident was three hundred years ago when a mother died at birth while alone. The child was raised by another peace based clan of demons that had found it. They didn't know about the imbalance until it snapped one day. The Pith'var demon wiped out the clan and devastated two villages before it was stopped."

"Recorded where?" Scott cut in angrily.

"Think we should tell them?" Andrew asked quietly. Xander shrugged.

"Not much that they can do. Go ahead."

Andrew cleared his throat gently, drinking in the attention of those in the room. Xander knew he loved doing this part of the reveal. "The world is older than you know-"

"Abbreviated, Andy." Xander cut in before he could really get rolling.

"We're from a different dimension." the blunt statement left the group blinking and Xander palming his face. He had to wonder if this was what Giles had always felt.

"Not that abbreviated, you geek." he decided to take over, looking at the only mutant he was sure he could trust, Xavier. "In our world I don't think there are allot of mutants so there is no place for them to train safely. Instead we have magic and demons. When Andrew manifested it was thought to be a flare up of magic he had used in his past but by the time the mistake was realized there was little that could be done. That's when I was brought in and I called in some debts to have us sent to a place where he could get help. That is how we ended up here, only the transfer from one dimension to another caused his power to spike and you saw the result."

"Who owed you the debts?" Logan asked.

"A Demon Lord."

"An' why," a heavily accented voice came from the far end of the room. The Cajun stepped forward, drawing Xander's unwilling gazed with his smooth gait. "would a Demon Lord owe a lowly 'uman somet'ing?"

"Xander got the markers form Anya. She left him everything." Andrew saved him from spouting something stupid in the face of the attractive male.

"Who was she to be so special? And what were you ta her?" Rogue asked in her southern drawl. Xander twitched in irritation at her disrespectful tone but held himself back. She didn't know the whole story so he couldn't fully blame her.

"She was my ex-fiance." Xander's voice was hard and he tried not to be pleased when she flinched. He softened when he saw Andrew's head drop, he put his hand on the bowed head in comfort. "She was once known as Anyanka, Patron Saint of Scorned Women."

The red eyed Cajun sucked in a sharp breath, "Merdre! You be one brave man, homme."

"Remy?" Storm asked quietly.

"Stories o' demons t'aint so rare in de Bayou." Xander's gaze was now firmly focused on the Cajun but it had shifted from admiring to calculating. "De petit homme speaks o' vengeance demons. It be wishes dey answer but..."

"Never the way you want them to." Xander finished for him. "Unless, of course, your wish is particularly vicious." the grin he flashed was anything but nice.

"And you wanted to marry her? Did she break it off? Is that how you lost your eye?" Bobby fired off one question after another.

The carpenter snorted. "She was human when we were getting married, she had lost her powers years before. I guess you could say I broke it off when I left her at the alter," Remy openly gaped at him, "but that is what got her powers back. No, she did not take my eye, that happened later, but she did try to turn me into a woman. She later decided that my penis was too nice and useful to damage or remove in anyway." he was glad that said Wish Demon had desensitized him to comments like that cause it was worth it to see the blushes on the faces of over half the room. Scott and Bobby included.

"She came back later." Andrew was also unfazed by such talks, living in a building with dozens of horny Warrior Girls. "To help fight the good fight. Her and Xan were trying again until..." Xander knew why he couldn't continue.

"Well, it's not like this has any relevance to our situation." He headed off any more questions gently, the look in his eye telling them that they would get nothing more from either of them on the subject. "We are here now and we can't leave this world. If nothing has changed, could we get a room or something? I haven't really slept in about a week and Andy just woke up from a forced coma. A good, real rest is looking mighty good right now."

Xavier smiled faintly, "Yes. Hank mentioned you would need to rest. Bobby, please show then to their rooms. You two will be neighbours so do not worry about being separated."

"Cool." Andrew's grin was interrupted by a large yawn.

"Time for bed kiddo." Xander nodded to those in the room absently as his whole focused turned to the drowsy man. He gently guided Andy out the door, Bobby at their heels. Xander's voice drifted back into the room through the closing doors. "Hey Frosty, where's your washrooms?"

"Well," Xavier broke the rare silence that had fallen over his X-men, "I believe that congratulations are in order."

"Professor?" Scott frowned at their leader.

"You have a very interesting son, Logan." More than one person snickered at the bewildered look on the Canadians face.

AN: So there is the latest chapter. As always, if you see a mistake or have an issue with the content please tell me and I'll address it if I can. As you can see Xander is a bit more responsible in this than he is in the show but I try to keep him in character. Plus there are some things that are making him so attached to Andy that I will explain, likely in the next chapter. Sorry for taking so long in updating and I know it is the same for my other stories but I get to them when I can.

Until next time.

-Nys-


	3. Chapter 3

If Wishes Were Horses...

Summery: There is always a sacrifice to be made but not usually one so willing to make it. With so few options and little to hold him Xander gives up all he knows to help a friend, unknowingly stumbling upon some answers to a mystery he has lived with all his life.

Pairings: (These are tentative groupings and are open to changes. If you have a preference or suggestions, feel free to comment.) Xander/Gambit. Andrew/Warren(Archangel). Logan/Oz. Spike/Kurt. Faith/? I would welcome any thoughts for her partner, though I have an idea that's a bit odd but would be fun to write. I will consider anything you suggest, however.

Chapter 3:

Once again, Xander strode to Xavier's office, only this time he was alone. Surreptitiously, Xander made sure his mental shields were firmly in place before he stepped into the domain of the ultimate head shrink. He hadn't asked around but he had listened as he walked through the halls of the mansion and he had heard that Charles was the strongest telepath in the world. Not the sort of man you want to piss off when he has full access to your noggin and Xander had an unfortunate talent for pissing people off.

Andrew was settling in easily enough, thankfully, and that day was his first day of classes, which is why the man-child had been bouncing off the walls in his excitement. It had taken him all of five minutes the first day after they arrived to make some friends, with Xander's encouragement, though most of the residents of the school avoided the rugged man. Not that he really cared but it meant that he had to distance himself from Andy to make sure that his friends stuck around. He looked down at himself with a frown and picked at the worn t-shirt. He had been so focused on getting Andrew clothed, fed and situated that he had not had time to replace his old cloths or even shave. The heat in his missing eye told him that he needed to clean it soon and wash the leather band or he would need to make a personal visit to Hank for something other than a chat.

He slipped past the wooden doors that he still wanted to just stop and stare for hours. The office was even bigger with no one occupying the vast space, but it still felt comfortable and he could make out the welcoming paraphernalia that he had missed before. Xavier's quiet cough drew him back to the matter at hand gently. He grinned ruefully and took the seat across the desk.

"I trust Mr. Wells is settled in now?"

"The kid is fitting in here better than any place I've seen before." Xander smiled as he thought back to the sight of Andrew dodging a fake swipe from a teen covered in bone spikes as they mimicked a fight scene from a movie for a girl in a bright yellow trench coat.

"I am pleased to hear that. You, however, are not fitting in as well as I had hoped. You seem to avoid most everyone, teachers included."

Xander scratched his beard, thinking on the last week. "Not really. Yeah, I avoid the kids but they are either afraid of me or don't know what to make of me. Allot of them can't handle a -what you call me again? Oh right- flat-scan, or whatever you call a non mutant. Keeping my distance let them get to know Andy but the adults are different. I tried talking to some but only Hank seemed to tolerate me hanging about. Logan I get, because of the whole 'Holy crap, I'm your son!' thing. The rest, I figure are just uneasy with the alternate dimension thing. My appearance doesn't help much either." he gestured to his torn and worn clothing vaguely. "I've spent years in a place where personal grooming was a luxury so I kind of let myself go. Not to mention the eye."

"Yes. I have been meaning to ask you about that, if you do not mind speaking of it, of course."

Xander waved away his concern flippantly. "It's a long story concerning Frozen peas, three elastics and an overly violent food fight between teenage girls."

The professor debated internally for a moment whether to believe the man or not. It was hard to tell when said man looked completely serious. He decided it would be best to move the conversation along the wry amusement clear on his face. "I...see. This is not why I asked you here, however." Xander straitened up intently. "As you yourself have mentioned a desire to work for your room and board, I have been looking into what station would best suit you. At first I thought to place you with Logan , helping with his combat classes, but with the tension between you two it would not be ideal." The brunette agreed with a nod. He didn't mention that the younger students would not take well to a flat-scan teaching them. "A Shop class might be an option but not too many students are interested in such things. I do, however, like the notion of you teaching. There are a few students that speak little English and there are the few rare occasions when there is no telepath nearby so they do need some educating. Some children might also prefer to learn a new language so-"

"Professor," Xander broke in to his semi-rant quietly, "I don't think I am much of a teacher no matter what Andy says. For the kids that need to learn, sure, bring them to me if they will come. Otherwise, just let me fix up this place. Cleaning up after super charged teenagers is kind of my speciality. Besides, allot of these students have been hurt by non-mutants, either through direct conflict or propaganda. None would trust me enough."

Xavier sighed sadly, hearing the truth of it. "Alright. I will make certain that you have the tools and supplies you need."

"Don't worry about materials for now." Xander assure him, "I've already taken a look around the mansion and did a basic survey but I would like to pick out some tools myself before I give you a estimate. All I ask is for some advanced pay to pick up some personal items as well."

"Yes, of course. Some of that money given to you earlier this week was meant for you to use on yourself, however it seems as if you focused a bit too much on Mr. Wells."

Xander shrugged carelessly. "What can I say? He's a kid and he needs allot of stuff to keep him from going nuts with question." a soft chuckle escaped Xavier.

"He is quite an intelligent boy. Hank certainly enjoys his company."

"He would. Andrew is a certifiable genius, and this was before his powers kicked in, he just had no support in his early life. Later on, people that claimed to be his friends used and betrayed him repeatedly. Add to the fact that until a few years ago he had very limited social skills and the group I was apart of had very little patience for him as the people he was with had tried to kill us on more than one occasion."

"He seems fairly attached to you." Xavier reminded him.

"He's a sci-fi nerd and I'm a closeted one. It made for a connection that he never had before and after a while I took it in my head to train the kid. I figured that if he really wanted to help out then I wasn't going to let him stay as a liability like I was when I first started fighting the good fight. I think that was the first time anyone had ever taken interest in his continued survival in a good way so it left and impression. The clincher was that my ex-fiance gave her life to protect him so he keeps trying to make it up to me, not that I want him to."

"We all mourn in our own ways. His method is to repent." there was a moment o f quiet understanding between the two men, "I wonder, however, how is it that you were able to give up your life so easily. From what little you mentioned of it, you left quite a few friends behind in your world to bring Andrew here, who you admit has not been with you as long as the others."

Xander's impassive gaze fixed onto the telepath for a long moment that quickly grew uncomfortable for the man. It was long enough that Xavier began to worry that he had trespassed on some forbidden boundaries. Being unable to read the man gave him a distinct disadvantage when it came to settling the suspicions that seemed to hang over the man. He nearly sighed with relief when Xander slumped into his chair, apparently coming to a decision.

"I miss my girls, for sure, both those I trained and the ones I grew up with. I mean, they were my life, the only thing that really kept me going. I don't think I told you about this but instead of a bunch of mutants running around in my world we have things like demons and magic. I'm not gonna go into details but to fight the bad guys that pop up we have some super powered girls that battle the forces of evil. Finding the girls in places like Africa and Brazil or helping Buffy and Willow, my two best friends, when they asked me was all I existed for anymore," concern began to trickle into Xavier's mind, "but I realized that they didn't need me at all."

"I'm sure you were more needed than you understand."

Xander shook his head slowly, "I had been fighting beside them for so long that the just got so used to looking to me for help that they never thought to look closer to home. Now they have a support system set up with plenty of backup. There are regular search parties in the more wild parts of the world, based out of shelters that I built, with competent and hand picked instructors to teach the newcomers what they need to survive. The ones I trained take the younger girls under their wings until they are capable then they train the next generation. I set it up specifically so that the entire program is self sustaining just in case something happened us original warriors. It took me two years and three continents before I realized that I had made myself obsolete, not that I would change it, but in that time, not one of my girls had ever asked me to come home. Not even for a visit." Xander flung his arms over the back of his seat and rested his head against the top to stare blankly at the ceiling. "My work was pretty much finished last year and still they didn't ask me home so I stayed in Africa to deal with the more aggressive demonic population. When they finally did send for me it was only at the desperate request of Andrew. When I figured out the situation I make a choice that I am sure did not sit well with the girls, so I am sure I will be hearing from Willow at some point in the future. I decided that Andy would be my focus for now. I will protect, train and guide the twerp until he doesn't need me anymore then I will move on."

"Move on how?" Charles hoped the man's intentions were not what he was thinking.

"I figured that I'd explore this world for a while, see how it's different from my own, and after that I more markers to call in. There are allot of dimensions out there."

The frown on the bald mans face deepened. "And if you were offered a place here? Would you not stay?" The grin he received was boyish but mocking.

"I'm not deaf Professor. Your people are so touchy around me that I am surprised they haven't thrown fruit yet." he cut off the protests with a stern look and his position sprawled further. "You may not see it with your idealistic view of your people but none of them like of trust me enough to give me the time of day. The most I hope for is directions to the bathroom, and that's only cause they don't want me messing the carpets."

"Perhaps it is your view that is too pessimistic?" Xavier disliked his family being degraded in this matter but he could not deny the grain of truth in the words.

Xander conceded with a nod, "Maybe, but I can't, and won't, trust Andy to them completely until I am sure that they won't treat him the same."

"As I said earlier, he seems to be progressing well."

"Then I shouldn't be here long."

"Xander, please. I-" blue eyes drifted to the door as Xavier picked up a telepathic nudge. His frustration ebbed away, "Come in."

Xander watched, still sprawled, as the door opened without so much as a knock. Bobby Drake and Remy Lebeau stepped in, one practically bouncing and the other in that familiar and highly distracting prowl. Both men faltered as they caught sight of the homo sapien sprawled out for their viewing pleasure. Xavier caught the faint whisper of 'Merdre!' from the Cajun and hope sprang anew. Perhaps it wasn't just Xander being a flat-scan that had some of the mutants so distant.

"I appreciate you two coming so quickly." the Professor greeted, "It seems that Mr. Harris is in need of some essential utilities. Would you two be so kind as to help him?"

"But he went shopping a week ago." Bobby came very close to whining.

"It seems that with so much attention on Andrew, Xander forgot about taking care of himself." Remy said nothing as he stared at the man in question from behind his sunglasses.

"He should know where the stores are, though, and I have work to finish." The Ice man huffed, crossing his arms defensively. The other mutants in the room had to wonder at the petulance in his tone.

Xander flowed to his feet with a sigh, "Look Professor, I'll just use the card you gave me when we got the stuff for Andy and find my own way." the look he gave the crippled man told him that he hadn't expected any other reaction from the mutants. The lone brown eye swung to unsure blue with an unreadable look. "Sorry I wasted your time."

He left with a nod to the telepath and the Cajun. Bobby flinched once when the door softly clicked shut and again when his mentors disappointed gaze fell on him.

"Robert Drake." the tone was deceptively mild, "What, may I ask, was all that about?"

"H-he doesn't really need any help. He's not a mutant so he shouldn't be harassed outside the grounds." Bobby seemed fairly proud of his reasoning.

"I see. So when someone sees him walking out of the mansion gates or down the road that only leads to the mansion housing primarily mutants, they will automatically know that he himself is not a mutant?" Xavier waited for the frown to appear between Bobby's eyebrows. "And if he is attacked?"

"Well... he's survived in a lot of dangerous places, right? He should be fine." Iceman's faith in his own words seemed to be melting slowly.

"Hmm." aged blue eyes narrowed and the younger man drew into himself a little. Remy watched the show with interest. "May I ask how, is Mr. Harris supposed to get to the stores he needs to reach?"

"He can drive like everyone else?"

Xavier sighed. "Even though he has no vehicle and he doesn't technically exist in this dimension?" That one sentence drew the young mutant up short. Something akin to horror seemed to bloom on his face.

"Dammit!" Bobby tore out of Xavier's office, leaving a trail of frozen footsteps behind.

"And you Gambit?" Steely features softened slightly, facing the silent Cajun. "I had thought that you of all people would know better than to ostracize a fellow man. Especially for something he can't control."

Remy waved off the accusation airily, "Remy 'tink de man be nice 'nuff, he jus' no need ta give de otha' X-men anotha' reason ta be hatin' Gambit."

Xavier was forced to massage his temples against the headache that was building. "I don't understand why the adults of this school treat him so. They should all know better. Remy, you should not let the others dictate your actions or feelings. Particularly when it means the suffering of someone so undeserving. Alexander Harris has sacrificed so much just to save and protect his friend."

"Remy say de homme be a good man, he jus' don' need no pity from Remy. Plus der be lots o' turmoil in de homme dat he needs ta deal wit. Gambit let de man settle some 'fore he turn on de charm." his grin made his ruby eyes sparkle over the rims of his sunglasses. Xavier could not stop the light chuckles escaping him.

"Rogue has lost her chance I take it?" Gambit's expression sobered quickly.

"Petite has hurts tha' Remy canna fix, but Remy no let her keep 'im from wha' he wants."

"I'm glad to hear that." Charles paused for a minute, head tilting slightly as he listened to something in his head. "Now it seems as if Mr. Harris has evaded Bobby enough to make it off the grounds. Please inform Andrew that Alexander could be gone for a few days."

"Ya get a read?"

Xavier shook his head, "He sent me a message."

Remy smirked and turned away, "Homme sure be interestin'."

"Now if only the others could see that." Charles grumbled as the door whispered shut.

Two days later Xander could be seen trudging up the driveway with a military grade rucksack strapped to his shoulder and a number of bags and a toolbox in his hands. His shaggy head bobbed to the music coming from the headphones attached to his new mini radio. He didn't acknowledge the slide of ice that appeared beside him until Bobby started to walk with him.

"Yes?" he pulled out the headphones and looked at the sheepish man.

"Hi." he fidgeted for a moment, "A-about before, I didn't mean... I was just-" he floundered but was cut off by Xander's quiet sigh as the dimension traveller stopped.

"You don't have to do this, you know. I've got nothing against you."

"But I-"

"Look man. I get it." his eye flickered to the front door where a number of the adults were watching them. Bobby followed the look and cringed visibly. "You were busy. You better go but thanks for tying."

Bobby returned his smile with a sad, reluctant look but he left quickly, skating away on an ice slide that Xander watched with a little bit of envy. He started up his trek again as he watched Bobby force his way through the gathered crowd to grab Xander's new daddy and drag him off. Angry eyes, and an angry visor, swivelled to Xander who was slightly amused with the concerted action.

"What did you say to him?" Robo-cop, AKA: Scott, demanded with a stiff face. He stood at the head of the pack crowding the door, not allowing Xander pass without a fight, and Xander suddenly had the disturbing feeling he was back in highschool. The one eyed carpenter shook off the feeling and studied the man in silence. He knew that the Scott was a good guy, and he doubted that he actually had anything against Xander, but the problem that the mutant didn't trust him and the others were following their leader. Albeit with a bit more animosity for sure. The reason that Xander himself avoided the older man, which probably didn't help with the trust issue, was because he could feel the damage that kept Scott from controlling his powers. Every time he saw the man he itched to heal him, but he did not want to let these people know of his secret just yet. Maybe if he got Hank on-board and sedated the guy before he knew it was Xander that would be fixing him.

"Well?" an impatient female blurted from off to the side, pulling him out of his plotting. Xander thought her name was Rogue.

"Scott, Rogue." the crowd parted like the red sea, even a Xander internally cheered at getting her name right, allowing for Ms. Monroe to push the professor through. "What was said between Bobby and Alexander is between those two. Please allow them the same privacy you enjoy. Now I believe our guest would like to put his things away." He stared pointedly at Scott who stepped aside immediately, properly chastised. Xander squeezed through the gap that was left, careful not to touch any part of Rogue.

"Ah don't trust ya." She growled at him lowly. He snorted and gave her a grin he knew was both rakish and irritating.

"I hadn't noticed." he left her standing there confused while he nodded his thank to the Professor.

"Xander!" the blonde bundle of energy, that had been so worried about him the last few days, made to tackle the man until he saw the bags. "Are you okay? Did you have a good trip? Why didn't you take me? Why were you out so long? Where did you stay? Did you eat enough? Can I make you something? What did you get? Can I see? Why aren't you answering me?" he was huffing by the end of his little outburst and more than a few mutants were wondering if expanded lung capacity was a part pf Andrew's powers. Xander just calmly passed him some bags and ruffled his hair.

"I'm fine and so was the trip. You had classes. I had a lot to do. The parks and streets were fine. I ate. Not right now. Lots of stuff. You can see it later. Because you weren't giving me a chance to. Got all that?" he smiled when Andrew beamed at him with a nod. More than one person was impressed at his ability to answer. Hiking up the bag on his shoulders, Xander made his way to the stairs leading up, Andrew at his heels. Seeing the drama was over, most of the gathered residents dispersed.

"Please tell me that bit about the parks was a joke." Scott broke the small silence, following behind Xavier and Storm. Xander glanced back but was distracted by Ororo actually flying the Professor up the step.

"Neat." He shook himself out of the daze and shrugged, "Why would I joke about that? I'm used to living outdoors so I didn't see the point in wasting money."

Xavier sighed while Scott frowned. Ororo, however, simply watched the happenings with a steady calm. Xander didn't notice any of this as he nudged open his door with a foot. He tossed the rucksack onto the bed and that's when they saw the older, threadbare bag he had been carrying under the newer one. That was when they also noticed the room, it was pristine, untouched and obviously never slept in. What they didn't know about was the trip wires he had set up by the door and closet and the trap attached to the door nob, which was why he had kicked it open. Xander took the bags Andrew after dropping his own and dumped everything out onto the bed to systematically sort through everything. The cloths were first, new items being stripped of tags and stickers, old items that were too damaged being tossed onto the chair by the small desk. Every good article of old clothing he folded and placed in the new rucksack along with the new cloths, leaving his only pair of old jeans, torn and faded but still strong, and a new full sleeved shirt that had a decomposing teddy bear in a top hat grinning on the chest. Next he set the shaving cream and other toiletries in a smaller bag and set it aside. He only glanced at the curious interlopers once and that was just before he reached farther into his old sack than physics would allow and started pulling out weapons. A _lot_ of weapons. They then disappeared in a similar manner into the new sack, leaving them stunned.

Quietly, Andrew explained that Willow, a friend of theirs, had taught Xander that spell before he ventured off into parts unknown. Scott, personally, wanted to know why one man needed so many weapons. Andrew's reply was that it was a rare thing if they didn't need them and that Xander was always carrying something of an arsenal with him. Not to mention that each of those sharp objects had some sort of property or enchantment that was geared to destroying one type of demon or another.

Once finished, Xander put the damaged cloths into the now empty sack and tossed the lot of it into the garbage bin. The last set of bags were tools that he sorted and placed into the red toolbox he had been carrying. They were all good quality essentials that he would need to begin work on the mansion, including a stocked up tool belt that he set on top of the filled box and set both on the floor beside the new rucksack.

He straitened with a sigh and grabbed the toiletries. "Hey Andy, wanna help me with my hair?"

"Can I? Are you gonna lose the beard too?" Xander nodded. "Thank the Goddess! You look mean and old with that thing. Most of the kids are scared of you."

Xander laughed. "I don't think it's my looks that are scaring them."

"Maybe not but it's a big part of it."

"Well help me fix it. The girls mentioned in an email that you are pretty good with a pair of scissors." The shorted blonde was already ushering his friends into the bathroom. Minutes later, Xander was sitting on the toilet with a towel stuffed into the collar of his shirt and his hair dripping wet, while Andrew snipped with a look of fierce concentration. Their mutant audience found this all very amusing as Charles attempted to stifle his laughter and Ororo covered her smile with a delicate hand. Scott stared on with bemusement. As the chatter continued the mutants listened quietly, awkwardly aware of the intimacy they were being allowed. The two dimension travellers spoke of Andrew's classes and his friends. The powers of the people of the school was a popular subject where Xander thought the variety was 'especially cool'. The subjects drifted to their old home, focusing on the lives, loves and losses of a number of young girls. It was clear to their audience that Xander had been away from his family for a very long time before he had helped Andrew. When they spoke of the losses, in both Andrew and Xander's lives, they grew hushed but never stopped talking. The X-men were horrified by the sheer number of casualties, more so when they realized that most were young teenage girls. When Scott could not keep himself from speaking up about it Xander explained, in greater detail than he had given Xavier, about girls chosen for a great destiny of fighting the forces of evil. It did not sit well with them but Xander made a point of reminding them that they trained kids to fight and protect themselves in much the same way. The ones that chose to fight were allowed to join a team where they had ample backup and in Xander's verse that meant that the girls survived years longer than the chosen ones of the past. The death rate of the original slayers left them feeling cold and unable to comprehend how people could ask them to battle alone.

After the mutants bowed out of speaking, the conversation took another twist. Xander started quizzing Andrew on various demons, their appearances, their advantages and disadvantages, and most especially how to kill them. This last was answered with varied, brutal and sometimes ridiculous solutions. Ever so often he would slip into different languages, some they vaguely understood, like the standard and slightly ancient ones. Some that they couldn't identify were harsh and guttural, sounds not meant to be coming from human vocal chords, while others were almost melodic which sounded odd coming from a human. Andrew answered in kind but was not a fluid as Xander. He would stumble over over words or pronunciation but Xander gently corrected him, asked him to repeat and moved on. Andrew had been correct in his claim that Xander would be a good teacher, sadly, Xander refused Scott's suggestion of taking up a class. All it took was the soft question of 'Do you really think that with how you reacted to me that the students will welcome anything I try to teach them?'. The shame that thought raised kept Scott from pushing it.

The quizzing ended when the haircut did and the group was properly impressed with the boy's work. Instead of reaching his shoulders, the chocolaty brown hair was layered in a shaggy tumbling style that fell about his face.

"This is almost how I had it during highschool." Xander felt he had to point out as he ruffled the locks. He enjoyed the lightness of his scalp before taking the scissors to his beard.

"Well you were hot in highschool." Andrew joined the rest in the bedroom after he swept up the hair on the floor and turned it into a bundle of twine so it was easier to toss.

"Not by human standards, I wasn't." Xander scoffed.

"Almost half the football team thought you were." Xander froze, his hand full of shaving cream, and gaped into the mirror. The wet plop of a glob of cream hitting porcelain shocked him out of it.

"Let us never speak of this again." he intoned solemnly. Andrew shrugged and let him shave. Xavier was curious as to why the carpenter used an old fashioned strait edge razor rather than a more modern one. Andy explained that it doubled as a weapon and that was pretty much Xander's modus operandi. Storm changed the subject onto something that she felt the need to clarify.

"Mr. Wells." her soothing voice cut through his continued chatter, "How do you know of Alexander's school life?"

"Xander." He corrected her. "He really, really hates being called Alexander, or Alex, or Lex. I know about highschool cause I was there. We went to the same school." That caught the others attention.

"How many years apart were you?" Andrew blinked at her in confusion.

"Apart? We were in the same grade. He's only a few months older than me. He does act allot older, right? Sometimes I think that he would have been a way better brother than Tucker was, but then Tucker did try to kill the graduating class with hell hounds."

"How old are you two?" Scott asked with a hint of worry colouring his tone.

"Twenty four, last time I checked." Xander provided, his voice muffled by a cloth as he dried his face, stepping out of the washroom. He tossed the cloth on the desk and casually started stripping.

"Xander!" Andrew gasped, scandalized, "There is a Lady present!"

Said carpenter glanced up from the clasp of his ratty jeans to meet the unperturbed eyes of the woman. He shrugged and dropped his pants. The reasoning behind his actions were clear to Xander as a number of situations in his life had prepared him for moments like these. One was the fact that he had grown up with primarily female friends that never saw him as anything other than one of the girls. His one male friend had been more concerned with the comparison between them, he had been miffed before his untimely turning that Xander had been slightly bigger. Another reason was that after his sojourn in highschool, the man had been personally trained by a twelve hundred year old, sexually repressed vengeance demon-turned-human. Personal modesty was a thing of the long lost past. Not to mention the last few years immersed in cultures where modesty and hygiene were a commodity not a luxury. As such it was a rare day that he even wore underwear anymore, and today was not a rare day.

The mildly shocked, vaguely interested and flush-faced reactions from Xavier, Storm and Scott respectively, amused him as slipped into his new cloths.

"She didn't seem to mind." he shared a grin with the white haired woman.

"Indeed, you are a fine specimen to look upon." Each comment served to make Andy's face take on a new shade of red. Ororo smirked at the thought of sharing the details of this little show with her brother later for she had seen the looks her Remy had tried to hide.

"Wait until I tell Willow." the blonde huffed.

"Then wait until I tell her about that time with that new witch Amanda and how you-"

"Ahlalalalalalala!" Andrew bolted from his seat, covering his ears, "I can't hear you! Nothing happened _whatsoever_!"

"You sure?" Xander chased after him with a wicked grin. "Because I remember some pretty interesting details." The two left the others behind in Xander's bare room as they raced down the halls. A heavy silence settled over the mutants.

"How..." Scott took a moment to gather his thoughts, "How did we not see that?"

"See what Scott?" Ororo asked placidly.

"How young they were. I knew that Andrew was a kid but Xander as well?"

Xavier shook his head sadly. "He's not so much younger than yourself, Scott. For that matter, who thought to ask?"

"It never seemed to matter," Scott admitted, "but surely someone must have asked something."

"Do you know anyone who has spoke to the boy beyond a few platitudes and directions?" he waited several seconds for the X-men leader to shake his head. "It saddens me to know that no one in the school, that I built to promote equality and acceptance, sees how they are treating that boy. Now , because of those actions, he trusts no one within these halls beyond the bare minimum he allows me."

"But professor, he..." Scott floundered and Storm looked a little shamed.

"He what, Scott? What has the man, who walked away from everything he has ever known or loved to aid a hurting friend, done to deserve this... this racism that has fallen over my students?" the two mutants flinched and couldn't find an answer. "It is a simple thing, Scott. My children, all of my children, have shunned a good and genuinely kind man for no reason other than he has no powers." desolate blue eyes stared at the averted faces of the two leaders of his family. Scott's wrongs were glaring , in his suspicion and distrust of the man he made no attempts to understand, but Ororo's were just as heinous, even if they were more subtle. She may not feel any animosity for the boy but she was wary and showed this by holding herself apart from the interactions of those around him. Others felt her unease and reacted accordingly, perpetuating the unfavourable situation that she refused to even attempt to mediate, as she usually would. It was a silent rejection of Xander but a rejection all the same. Xavier sighed softly and wheeled himself out of the room, leaving only one question echoing in their minds.

_'If this is how a human is treated among mutants, then how are we any different than those who persecute us?'_

**A/N:** and we are done. Another chapter, another day. I warn you now that romance in this fic will be a ways down the line so don't be hoping for Remy to be shoving the Xan-man into a closet anytime soon. Though it is fun to picture. * drool *


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